Leapfrog Project: Living Art Installations Could Bring Light and Hope to Typhoon-Ravaged Philipines Town

The Leapfrog Project is an initiative to rebuild the city of Tacloban, Philipines, which was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Initiated by Atelier Lira Luis, the project seeks to set up ten transitional structures to engage the population and give light, literally and figuratively, to the city. Inspired by Japanese Marimo balls, the structures will eventually be replaced by schools, medical facilities or housing, depending on the needs of the community.

Rebuilding after natural disasters is a daunting task that requires the synergy of different disciplines. Post-disaster rehabilitation efforts in places like Haiti have proved that in order to avoid failure, various sectors must come together on the ground to strategize the rebuilding program. Leapfrog aims to engage different schools of thought in design, science, business, and technology to create a discourse and group activities that will generate ideas for the recovery of the destroyed city of Tacloban, located about 360 miles southeast of Manila.

These unique installations are inspired by the Marimo ball, a rare growth form of alage that takes the shape of a large green ball. The project is an extension of the Living Wall project developed by Atelier Lira Luis, and it draws upon biomimicry and living skin concepts to encourage resiliency in rebuilding.

After an extensive workshop, ten living installations made of bioluminescent plankton will be erected with the help of the local community within the campus of the University of the Philippines in Tacloban. These installations are meant to bring the rebuilding initiative into public focus and raise funds for the construction of necessary facilities. The initiative includes an online crowdfunding campaign which reached more than 50% percent of its first milestone within a week.